October 31, 2016

Every business network contains a variety of people. It is important to maintain the relationships that are close. At the same time, it is good to nurture the newer relationshps because they could turn in close relationships. Below are eight benefits of a good connection:

October 29, 2016

Like any other holiday, Halloween is a great time to build your relationships. It is a fun holiday for adults and kids. Below are four ways that you can leverage this holiday to benefit of your relationships.

1. Attend adult / family parties - Many people host Halloween parties. Take the opportunity to attend a couple of them. By doing so, you will get to know the host better and have the opportunity to meet new people. Also, dress up if you can. It will allow others to see a new and fun side of you.

2. Attend Halloween parades - If you have young kids, then their schools should be hosting a Halloween parade. Take the time out of your day to attend for a few minutes. You will get to know other parents better, especially if your kids are friends with their kids.

3. Walk the neighborhood during trick of treating - Make sure to walk your neighborhood during trick or treating. If you have young kids, then walk with them so you can get to know other neighbors. If have older kids or no kids, then it is still worth walking around. Many people host driveway parties. Get to know your neighbors.

4. Bring treats to your office - Most of us will have leftover candy from Halloween. Take some of it to your office. Or you can bring some Halloween cupcakes. Either way, your team members will appreciate you thinking about them.

September 28, 2016

Building business relationships is an ongoing effort and well worth the time commitment. Many people's careers have soared as a result of building the right relationships. In addition, many businesses have thrived due to maintaining the right relationships.

September 24, 2016

Staying in touch with your network is critical to maintaining your relationships. You should find ways to connect with certain individuals as well as your network as a whole. So, you need be committed and consistent. Otherwise, some of your relationships may go away. It is hard work but worth the effort.

Below are several top ways to stay in touch with your network:

Set up email newsletter or group email - Create a newsletter or group email that will allow you to send a regular message to those in your network. Make sure that it provides value and keeps people informed on what you are doing.

Set up individual meetings - On a regular basis, set up individual meetings either in person or by phone to catch up with people. Find out how you can assist someone during the conversation. Live communication is critical for building your relationships.

Host your own events or gatherings - Take the time to organize a network event or casual gathering. Once it is set up, invite your network. They will appreciate the opportunity to see you. Make sure that you connect people together at the events.

Invite individual people to events or outings - When appropriate, invite someone to join you at an event, outing, etc. so you can get to know one another better. The other person will appreciate you thinking of him or her. Make sure that you bring the appropriate person so this person will gain value.

August 28, 2016

When meeting someone for the first time, you usually know right away if you should continue building that relationship. You get that feeling of excitement because you want to see what will happen in the future if you remain in each other's network.

Below are 10 reasons why should continue building a business relationship:

August 14, 2016

Having a positive attitude can go a long way when interacting with others. Most people would rather be around a happy person vs. a sad person. Positivity is catchy and can make others feels good too.

Try to leave your problems at home or at the office when talking to other people. You want them to see how you act on your good days. It can be difficult at times to keep the negativity away. However, put yourself in the other person's shoes and think about you may feel if someone is negative around you.

You want people to think highly of you so make sure that they remember you for your upbeat attitude and smiling face. Leave a long lasting impression. Negative people can bring the energy down in a room so make sure that you keep the energy positive.

First impressions are such an important aspect of building new relationships. Start out on the right path to building mutually beneficial relationships. If you have a positive demeanor, then you should influence others to do the same.

July 31, 2016

For many people, summer is a time to relax, take vacations, and spend a lot of time outdoors. It is important to still focus on building quality relationships during this time of the year. In fact, there are many opportunities during the summer to connect with others.

July 27, 2016

At conferences, there is often an imbalance of networking opportunities. Many believe speakers and/or sponsors are the people who they need should meet. As a result, a long line usually forms with people waiting to meet certain individuals. Meanwhile, there are other people in the room who are by themselves waiting and wanting to talk to other attendees. These people are often the gems in the room, hidden in plain sight.

The Founder and Managing Director of Fearless Revival has created unique event networking strategies. Recently he shared the following tip: "After a session ends, introduce yourself to the audience member who asked the most interesting question. The panelists will be up there for a while so you don't lose by doing this, you only gain. I'm amazed at how often that person is as fascinating as the speaker(s)!", says CEO advisor and keynote speaker David Dalka.

David said that this technique has led him to meet startup founders both pre-launch and post-exit, senior executives at Fortune 500 companies, and journalists. He has met some very interesting people this way.

Many times, you may be the only person in the room who will connect with the individual who had asked the question. Your post conference follow-up with this person will be easier to schedule a meeting or call in part because the individual received fewer business cards than the keynote speaker. Also, your interaction at the conference with this person was most likely more memorable and more meaningful.

Consider introducing yourself to the person who asks the most interesting question at a conference. You often will be glad that you did.

July 09, 2016

Your personal brand is one of the most important elements of your professional life. In fact, some could argue that it is the most important. Your brand is your professional identify. It is how others see and perceive you. As a result, you should take it very seriously and spend the time building a positive brand.

It takes time and effort to build up your brand. Brand yourself around a subject matter expertise and let those around you know about your knowledge. You can do this by speaking at events, writing articles or blog posts, sharing resources with others, etc.

The more consistent and persistent that you are, the more people will recognize you for this skill or know how. Once people know about you, you will be a sought after professional. As a result, your network will flourish. You may have to be choosy about who you start to build longer term relationships with because you will get a lot of people coming to you. However, you still want to be approachable and assist others where and when you can. This will only further brand you as a leader.

Either way, your brand will be elevated in your business community and beyond. Opportunities will present themselves to you. Your relationships will grow stronger and bigger. Once you see the power of personal branding, you will be motivated to continue branding yourself and expanding your network.